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We may be in the middle of the 2023-24 season and heading towards what will, hopefully, be another action-packed series of playoffs. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t look back at the many highlights of the 2022-23 season and relive just some of those successes and surprises. So here goes.
1, The Nuggets taste success at last
When the Denver Nuggets completed their 4-1 victory over the Heat, they were the last of the old ABA teams to reach the finals, let alone win them. This was obviously great news for fans of the Nuggets as well as for coach Michael Malone. It also rewarded Nikola Jokic with a final finish to silence critics who were always asking what exactly he’s ever achieved in the post-season.
2. Miami Heat’s road to the finals
Although the scoreline might not suggest it, the Heat proved to be suitable adversaries for the Nuggets. They’d looked distinctly mediocre most season and looking at the NBA Playoff Odds they didn’t have a chance. But they really came to life when it mattered beating both the Bucks and the Celtics on their way to their eventual finals appearance.
3. Sacramento making it to the playoffs.
It had been a long time coming, but after 16 frustrating seasons the Sacramento Kings finally made it to the playoffs, thanks in no small part to the contributions of De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis and the leadership of coach Mike Brow.
4. The Cleveland Cavaliers come good
Another team that surprised was the Cavaliers. Although they were stopped in their tracks in the first round of the playoffs, in the main season they enjoyed victories against the Heat, the Celtics and the 76ers. They also discovered a new star in the form of Donovan Mitchell, very ably assisted by Evan Mobley and Jarett Alan. There was also the good news story of Caris Lavert returning to form after his 2021 break for cancer surgery,
5. The success of the in-season tournament
It wasn’t just the Lakers who were delighted by the inaugural in-season tournament. Despite initial scepticism about its value, players, coaches and fans soon got on board once their competitive juices started flowing. As a result, it soon gripped the attention – and here’s hoping that a few little changes will see it become even more popular in future.
6. San Antonio securing Victor Wembanyana
They might be having a truly wretched season right now, but the Spurs certainly did well to win the lottery to secure the player being hailed as the next big name in the sport. He may even be in the running for Rookie of the Year, shining out from the gloom surrounding the team.
7. LeBron James’ record-breaking feats
When most other players have swapped the court for a life of wealthy retirement, James goes on and on. Not only did he become the highest points scorer ever knocking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar off the top spot, he also became the first player to score 40 points in a game against every other team. Fittingly, it came in a meeting with local rivals, the Clippers, on January 24, 2023.
8.The renaissance of Brook Lopez
Many had written off the Milwaukee defender when it was announced that the player often labelled “lumbering” would be undergoing back surgery. It seems that certain bionic body parts may have been added in the procedure. He was back, better than ever and registering career-best stats including averaging 14.5 points per game.
9. Joel Embiid clinching the MVP award
When the 76ers’ Embiid was announced it seemed like this really was the time for centers to win the award, following on from Nikola Jovic’s wins in the previous two years. Before that, it had been Shaquille O’Neal to be the last one to be named back at the turn of the millennium. There’s no question that Embiid truly deserved the honor after a spectacular season that saw him scoring an average of 33.1 points per game with a 54.8% field goals success rate.
10. The invisible assist
Last, but not least, there was the occasion when Nikola Jokic assisted Aaron Gordon with a miraculous 70 feet pass it wasn’t captured by either team’s broadcasters. Luckily, some fans did catch it for real on their phones, later sharing the feat with the rest of the world on social media.
Looking forward to the 2024 season
So what have we got to look forward to this season? Many will be hoping that it’s an Embiid MVP double. Just as many will be keeping their eyes on Victor Wembanyana to see if he lives up to expectations.
Other than these, we’ll also be hoping for a captivating playoffs season, hopefully with a totally unexpected winner and lots of thrilling action along the way.
